Senior Spacecraft Structures Engineer

Terran Orbital Corporation; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) match

Flexible Time Off

Education reimbursement

Maternity/Paternity leave

Employee referrals

Swag

Job summary

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Sr. Structural Analysis Engineer to join our spacecraft structural team. The role spans concept through verification, supporting design reviews, testing, and manufacturing while interfacing with engineers across disciplines.

You will model structures, perform static/dynamic analyses, design test fixtures, and contribute to test plans and ERB presentations. A background in aerospace and DoD standards is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of direct industry experience performing structural analyses using numerical and analytical techniques in space, aerospace, or similar sectors.
• Experience with Nastran and Patran.
• Experience with vibration and shock testing of aerospace or space-grade equipment and familiarity with relevant military or NASA standards.
• Hands‑on experience with test planning and execution.
• Understanding of launch vehicle loads and their implications for spacecraft systems.
• Experience creating detailed or simplified structural models for spacecraft systems or components is a plus.
• Proficiency with SolidWorks or equivalent CAD software.
• Strong communication and presentation skills for interfacing with customers and vendors.
• U.S. Citizenship with ability to obtain and maintain DoD security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to identify structural design constraints and recommend mitigation strategies across concept development, prototyping, production, testing, and launch integration
• Support planning and coordination of structural analysis tasks for ongoing programs
• Perform peer reviews of technical analysis material generated within the team
• Assist in creating detailed finite element models of satellite structures and conduct analyses including static, dynamic, buckling, thermal, linear, nonlinear, and transient
• Support mechanical test projects, including coordinating with test houses, assisting with logistics, designing and analyzing test fixtures, and documenting decisions and changes
• Develop test plans, procedures, and reports for mechanical tests such as vibration, shock, acceleration, life, and endurance testing
• Perform structural vibration testing for spacecraft modules, including data acquisition, digital signal processing, and modal analysis
• Interpret test data in real time and provide recommendations when necessary
• Interface with vendors and test facilities to support testing requirements and logistics
• Participate in team discussions involving vehicle arrangement and structural design for current and future projects
• Design and analyze test fixtures for mechanical testing
• Contribute to the development and improvement of tools and processes to enhance structural analysis efficiency
• Work effectively with program engineering leads to help maintain schedules and ensure technical compliance
• Support preparation and presentation of Engineering Review Board (ERB) items as needed

Skills

Structural analysis

Test planning

Communication

Process-driven

Launch loads

SolidWorks CAD

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Nastran

Patran

MSC Apex

Adams

Marc

Job description

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Sr. Structural Analysis Engineer to join our spacecraft structural team. The role spans concept through verification, supporting design reviews, testing, and manufacturing while interfacing with engineers across disciplines.

You will model structures, perform static/dynamic analyses, design test fixtures, and contribute to test plans and ERB presentations. A background in aerospace and DoD standards is essential.